Hi there,
I've got myself a Xerox Phaser 6110N network capable colour laser printer and I'd really like to be able to print from NeXTSTEP3.3 on my cube to it. There isn't much documentation about on how to do this, so I did what I'd do on a normal *NIX machine:
1. copied the PPD file over to /NextLibrary/PrinterTypes/English.lproj/
2. rebooted to restart the lpd daemon (not the unix way, I know).
3. went into /NextApps/Printer Configuration and set up a new printer, choosing the PPD file I'd supplied, and selecting JetDirect as the method to print to the printer's DNS name (which NS3.3 translated on the fly to the IP, very pleasing).
4. saved the whole thing, then tried to use the test print function.
And then all that happened was that the printer's LED flashed for awhile and nothing happened. This printer is JetDirect compatible with the 9100/tcp port open. I've tried rebooting, I don't see anything terribly verbose in the /usr/adm/lprerror log, so I'm at a bit of a loss. I'd have thought this would work quite seamlessly... Although this is the very first time I've bothered to try printing in NeXTSTEP/OPENSTEP. I've read the FAQs I could find, as well as the SysAdmin manual but nothing struck me as useful. I'm hoping I don't have to fiddle with braindead lpr print settings or other legacy stuff, NS3 is meant to get you around all that!
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Quote from: "Noth"Hi there,
I've got myself a Xerox Phaser 6110N network capable colour laser printer and I'd really like to be able to print from NeXTSTEP3.3 on my cube to it. There isn't much documentation about on how to do this, so I did what I'd do on a normal *NIX machine:
1. copied the PPD file over to /NextLibrary/PrinterTypes/English.lproj/
2. rebooted to restart the lpd daemon (not the unix way, I know).
3. went into /NextApps/Printer Configuration and set up a new printer, choosing the PPD file I'd supplied, and selecting JetDirect as the method to print to the printer's DNS name (which NS3.3 translated on the fly to the IP, very pleasing).
4. saved the whole thing, then tried to use the test print function.
And then all that happened was that the printer's LED flashed for awhile and nothing happened. This printer is JetDirect compatible with the 9100/tcp port open. I've tried rebooting, I don't see anything terribly verbose in the /usr/adm/lprerror log, so I'm at a bit of a loss. I'd have thought this would work quite seamlessly... Although this is the very first time I've bothered to try printing in NeXTSTEP/OPENSTEP. I've read the FAQs I could find, as well as the SysAdmin manual but nothing struck me as useful. I'm hoping I don't have to fiddle with braindead lpr print settings or other legacy stuff, NS3 is meant to get you around all that!
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
The printer must be Postscript compatible. I own an HP LJ5, before i installed the postscript language module i had to use jetpilot for printing.
With installed postscript module i can also print directly. As far as i know your printer is an Windows GDI printer wich can used for nothing outside windows.
Thank you Andreas for answering... It actually works in Mac OSX and in Linux via CUPS so it's not quite Windows GDI Grade. However upon examining the driver docs here :
http://foo2qpdl.rkkda.com/ I've found out I'll need ghostscript to do most of the work. I have hope yet although I'm not sure how easy adding all the relavent software is going to be. I know you need postscript on the printer... but what if I try to print to a computer running CUPS ? I'm still a bit confused about why the only two methods for printing are via serial cable or JetDirect, not by tcp/ip.
Quote from: "Noth"Thank you Andreas for answering... It actually works in Mac OSX and in Linux via CUPS so it's not quite Windows GDI Grade.
AFAIK Cups translate Postscript to a printer usabla language, AFAIK Cups works also with GDI printers
QuoteI've found out I'll need ghostscript to do most of the work. I have hope yet although I'm not sure how easy adding all the relavent software is going to be. I know you need postscript on the printer...
Ghostscript also translated the Postscript language to something other, f.e. bitmap graphics.
QuoteI'm still a bit confused about why the only two methods for printing are via serial cable or JetDirect, not by tcp/ip.
Jetdirect is a RAW protocoll via TCP/IP from HP. You have for the first LPT1: a Port of 9100, for the second LPT2: 9101 and so on.
To print from NeXT you need a printer, wich is supported via DOTS or Jetpilot or a printer with build in Postscript.